Voices for Excellence
by Dr. Michael T Conner
Latest episode
Four principles for leaders before AI reaches every classroom with…
Four principles for leaders before AI reaches every classroom with…
About this podcast
Welcome to Voices for Excellence, hosted by Dr. Michael Conners, where we explore the dynamic world of education, leadership, and innovation. This podcast offers in-depth conversations with thought leaders, educators, and industry experts, providing listeners with actionable insights and strategies to drive excellence in their fields.
Season 3 continues our journey with a focus on cutting-edge topics like diversity in education, equality and inclusion, the impact of AI in the classroom, and transformative leadership strategies. Each episode is designed to inspire educators, leaders, and professionals committed to fostering positive change and achieving outstanding results.
Across all seasons, Voices for Excellence delves into:
• Innovative educational practices and strategies
• Leadership development and personal growth
• Diversity and inclusion in the educational landscape
• The role of technology and AI in modern learning environments
Join us for thought-provoking discussions and gain valuable perspectives on how to excel in today’s rapidly evolving world. Whether you’re an educator, a leader, or simply passionate about making a difference, this podcast provides the tools and inspiration you need to elevate your impact.
Subscribe to Voices for Excellence and stay at the forefront of educational and leadership excellence!
Episodes
The newest 20 of 137 episodes
- Four principles for leaders before AI reaches every classroom with Dr. Matthew Friedman · 1 h 22 min · Season 4 Episode 136What happens when a school has plenty of good ideas, but no clear way to connect them? In this episode of Voices for Excellence, Dr. Michael Conner is joined by Dr. Matthew…
- Teachers as life coaches in the AC-Stage of education with Dr. Erika Twani · 1 h 0 min · Season 4 Episode 135What if students spent less of the school day waiting for directions and more of it learning how to direct themselves? Erika Twani wants educators to ask that question. Her own…
- Three Cs for leadership: credibility, competence, convincing with Dr. L. Oliver Robinson · 42 min · Season 4 Episode 134What does it take to lead with conviction when fear, politics, and constant change are shaping education? In this episode of Voices for Excellence, Dr. Michael Conner sits down…
- Why AI bans fail the students who need access most with Dr Jeanene Stettner-Dutt · 1 h 5 min · Season 4 Episode 133What if preparing students for the future means changing not only the tools in the classroom, but the way education thinks about leadership, learning, and change? Dr Jeanene…
- Tornado, Pandemic, Boardroom: Crisis Leadership in Education with Dr. Donna Wright · 1 h 6 min · Season 4 Episode 132Why do women make up most of the education workforce, yet remain dramatically underrepresented in the superintendent’s chair? In this episode of Voices for Excellence, Dr…
- Partner for capacity, not programs: Dr. Melissa Sadorf's four rules for rural districts. · 42 min · Season 4 Episode 131What does it look like when rural education leads, not waits? Dr. Michael Conner welcomes Dr. Melissa Sadorf, executive director of the National Rural Education Association…
- Raising Kids Who Guide AI, with Dr. Antoinette Gutierrez · 32 min · Season 4 Episode 130Most leaders are trained in strategy, systems, and skills. Almost none are taught to deal with themselves first. In this episode of Voices for Excellence, Dr. Michael Conner is…
- Making AI a core language, not an elective with Dr. Rick Fernandez · 1 h 0 min · Season 4 Episode 129Every so often, a conversation cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of what education leadership demands right now. This is one of those conversations. In this episode…
- Mastery Over Method: How Richmond County Redesigned Grading for the AI Era · 53 min · Season 4 Episode 128What does it really take to build a school system ready for the future? In this episode of Voices for Excellence, Dr. Michael Conner welcomes Dr. Tommy Welch, Deputy…
- Interoperability, AI Sobriety, and the Data Warehouse with Daniel Crook · 58 min · Season 4 Episode 127Daniel Crook, founder of School Harbor and co-founder of AEG Systems, joins Dr. Michael Conner for a direct, infrastructure-first conversation about what K–12 districts are…
- Coding Is the New Cursive: Why Every Kid Needs It (And It's Not About Software Engineering) | Stewart Brown · 48 min · Season 4 Episode 126Today's kindergartners will retire in 2082, but are we preparing them for that world or ours? In this episode, Dr. Michael Conner sits down with Stewart Brown, Director of…
- Emotional Intelligence Isn't Soft, It's the Durable Skill Driving Academic Success | Dr Donna Housman · 44 min · Season 4 Episode 125Stop managing behavior. Start changing it. Dr. Mike Conner sits down with Dr. Donna Housman, CEO and founder of Housman Learning, to explore the paradigm shift reshaping early…
- The Circles of Genius We're Wasting: Why Lived Experience Matters More Than Motivation with Shokry Elady · 54 min · Season 4 Episode 124Organizations love to say they’ve “given people the tools to succeed”, so why do the same individuals and teams keep being labeled as the problem? In this episode, host Dr…
- Keeping People at the Center of AI Integration with Matthew Berkshire · 47 min · Season 4 Episode 123Schools aren't just content delivery systems, they're the places where belonging happens, and that matters more in the age of AI than it did before. Matthew Berkshire, Director…
- When the Superintendent Becomes the Chief Advocate, Everything Shifts · 51 min · Season 4 Episode 122The superintendent isn't a budget manager, they're the chief advocate for all children. Dr. Michael J. Barnes rebuilt Mayfield City Schools around this principle, and the results…
- From Creative Minds to Future Ready Centers: Rob Dickson Reimagines K-12 · 54 min · Season 4 Episode 121What happens when a public school district builds a micro school inside itself, and doesn't apologize for it? Rob Dickson is the CIO of Wichita Public Schools (USD 259), and he's…
- National AI Literacy Day with Erin Mote: Why Doing Something Beats Doing Nothing · 43 min · Season 4 Episode 120What if AI isn't trying to fit into your classroom — but to rebuild it entirely? Erin Mote, CEO and founder of InnovateEDU, explores what it means to navigate an arrival…
- Julia Fallon on Infrastructure, Not Programs: Redesigning Around AI · 57 min · Season 4 Episode 119Can Your AI Guidance Actually Guide — Or Does It Just Add Cognitive Load? Thirty-five states have issued AI guidance for schools. But how many of those documents reduce workload…
- People Before Programs: Servant Leadership, Trust, and Ethical AI with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket · 46 min · Season 4 Episode 118What does leadership look like when education is evolving faster than ever? In this powerful episode of Voices for Excellence, Dr. Michael Conner welcomes Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket —…
- Authentic Leadership in Education: Dr. Paul Miller on Transforming Trauma into Triumph · 1 h 2 min · Season 4 Episode 117What if unlocking educational excellence meant embracing both our past traumas and the resilience we’ve built through them? In this compelling episode of Voices for Excellence…
